1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an animal feeder support device and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a portable animal feeder support device capable of supporting varying sizes of containers and which readily integrates into the woodland setting and surroundings.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
For years, wildlife enthusiasts have fed supplemental grains and minerals to wildlife. Many devices have been used for this purpose. The current trend is to employ containers that hold from as little as five gallons to as much as one thousand bushels of grain or supplement.
By far, the most popular container used for feeding supplemental grains and minerals is the fifty-five gallon drum because such drums are inexpensive and readily available. Most wildlife enthusiasts and hunters attach a mechanism to the drum that dispenses a measured amount of grain or supplement at predetermined times throughout the day or night. The drums are attached to many different types of devices in order to elevate the drums above ground level, usually from three to ten feet, for supplemental feeding of wildlife.
The most common device for supporting a container above ground level for supplemental feeding of wildlife is a tripod system which has three legs, or a quadpod system which has four legs. The legs of the tripod system and the quadpod system are generally attached to the container by bolts, sockets or by welding the legs directly to the container. While both the tripod system and the quadpod system have met with some success, problems have nevertheless been encountered when using such devices for supporting the container above ground level in that such devices are susceptible to being blown down by high winds and tipped or tilted by wild game or domestic animals.
Rope and pulley systems are probably the second most common device for supporting a container above ground level for supplemental feeding of wildlife. The advantage of a rope and pulley system is that such a system is readily portable. However, when employing a rope and pulley system for supporting the container, the user is required to set up a support frame or locate a suitable tree with precisely proportioned limbs so that the pulley can be attached to the limb. To secure the pulley to a tree, the user must climb the tree, hang one or more pulleys, fill the container with grain or supplement and then raise the filled container to the desired level above the ground. Because of the many risks involved in securing one or more pulleys to the limb of the tree, potential injury to the user is evident.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved animal feeder support device which is not subject to being blown down by high winds, tipped or tilted by wild game or domestic animals, or which does not endanger the user during attachment of the animal feeder support device or during replenishing of grain or mineral supplement in a container support thereon. Further, it is desirable that the animal feeder support device be portable so that it can be readily moved from one location to another and can be carried into deeply wooded areas without difficulty. Finally, it is desirable that the animal feeder support device have a natural look which easily integrates into the woodland setting and surroundings and reduces the need to repeatedly disturb the natural habitat of wildlife, while monitoring or maintaining supplemental feeding of grains and minerals to wildlife. It is to such an animal feeder support device that the present invention is directed.